Anambra Police Detain 62-Year-Old Suspected IPOB Member Over Extortion
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 62-year-old man suspected of being a member of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for alleged extortion and terrorism in Ihiala Local Government Area.
The suspect, also an informant of the group, reportedly managed an extortion network in the area. Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Awka.
He said that operatives of the command attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, on Oct. 1, arrested the suspect and alleged informant of a secessionist group.
According to him, the suspect was also anchoring a major extortion network operating in parts of Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
“Preliminary information reveals that the suspect is in charge of illegal levies on traders in Isseke and Orsumoghu communities, collecting ₦10,000 and above monthly from each trader.
“He is also extorting N100,000 and above from families conducting burial ceremonies before the occasion or any such related event in the area,” he said.
He said that the illicit proceeds were allegedly remitted to his commander in a terrorist camp.
Ikenga quoted the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikioye Orutugu, as saying, “The arrest was part of the ongoing efforts to rid the state of elements exploiting innocent citizens under the guise of agitation.”
Orutugu also assured residents of the command’s continued commitment to dismantling criminal structures linked to insurgent groups.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
